Lawrence Wright

And religion is one of those areas that we tend to tend to put some distance between us. So. Because I was interested in religion and had been very religious when I was a teenager, Scientology was always on my scope. But I needed an excuse to write about it. I thought about when John Travolta's son died, if you remember that. He was very ill.

And religion is one of those areas that we tend to tend to put some distance between us. So. Because I was interested in religion and had been very religious when I was a teenager, Scientology was always on my scope. But I needed an excuse to write about it. I thought about when John Travolta's son died, if you remember that. He was very ill.

And religion is one of those areas that we tend to tend to put some distance between us. So. Because I was interested in religion and had been very religious when I was a teenager, Scientology was always on my scope. But I needed an excuse to write about it. I thought about when John Travolta's son died, if you remember that. He was very ill.

It was apparently some kind of environmental toxin that affected him. And there was a Scientology treatment that was employed. I don't know if the boy could have been saved otherwise, but anyway, he died. And I thought, well, maybe he will leave the church, and that would give me an excuse to talk to him.

It was apparently some kind of environmental toxin that affected him. And there was a Scientology treatment that was employed. I don't know if the boy could have been saved otherwise, but anyway, he died. And I thought, well, maybe he will leave the church, and that would give me an excuse to talk to him.

It was apparently some kind of environmental toxin that affected him. And there was a Scientology treatment that was employed. I don't know if the boy could have been saved otherwise, but anyway, he died. And I thought, well, maybe he will leave the church, and that would give me an excuse to talk to him.

And I mentioned it to my editor at the New Yorker, and he said it was too tabloid, which I thought, you know... Yeah, but it's still very interesting. And so then Paul Haggis dropped out of the church. And Paul Haggis was a two-time Academy Award-winning writer and director. He had been in the church for more than two decades. And he dropped out very quietly. He wasn't talking about it.

And I mentioned it to my editor at the New Yorker, and he said it was too tabloid, which I thought, you know... Yeah, but it's still very interesting. And so then Paul Haggis dropped out of the church. And Paul Haggis was a two-time Academy Award-winning writer and director. He had been in the church for more than two decades. And he dropped out very quietly. He wasn't talking about it.

And I mentioned it to my editor at the New Yorker, and he said it was too tabloid, which I thought, you know... Yeah, but it's still very interesting. And so then Paul Haggis dropped out of the church. And Paul Haggis was a two-time Academy Award-winning writer and director. He had been in the church for more than two decades. And he dropped out very quietly. He wasn't talking about it.

But I thought... You know, most of my readers would look at Scientology with kind of a sneer on their face. You know, it's like, I would never believe that crap. You know, you'd never get me in it. And what was interesting to me about Scientology, it was deeply appealing to a lot of people. And for the Hollywood types... I didn't see that it was giving them any advantage.

But I thought... You know, most of my readers would look at Scientology with kind of a sneer on their face. You know, it's like, I would never believe that crap. You know, you'd never get me in it. And what was interesting to me about Scientology, it was deeply appealing to a lot of people. And for the Hollywood types... I didn't see that it was giving them any advantage.

But I thought... You know, most of my readers would look at Scientology with kind of a sneer on their face. You know, it's like, I would never believe that crap. You know, you'd never get me in it. And what was interesting to me about Scientology, it was deeply appealing to a lot of people. And for the Hollywood types... I didn't see that it was giving them any advantage.

It was like the opposite. It was like a public relations martyrdom. People thought, what's wrong with Tom Cruise that he's in Scientology or any of the other stars? And so what is it that would take someone as talented and interesting as Travolta or Cruise or any of the others? What would it take to have them enlist in this and adopt these beliefs that seem so weird.

It was like the opposite. It was like a public relations martyrdom. People thought, what's wrong with Tom Cruise that he's in Scientology or any of the other stars? And so what is it that would take someone as talented and interesting as Travolta or Cruise or any of the others? What would it take to have them enlist in this and adopt these beliefs that seem so weird.

It was like the opposite. It was like a public relations martyrdom. People thought, what's wrong with Tom Cruise that he's in Scientology or any of the other stars? And so what is it that would take someone as talented and interesting as Travolta or Cruise or any of the others? What would it take to have them enlist in this and adopt these beliefs that seem so weird.

And so when Paul dropped out, I was working on something else. I finally decided, well, I'm going to ask anyway. So I found the number for his business manager. And I said, hello, this is Lawrence Wright with The New Yorker. And I would like to talk to your client about his decision to leave the Church of Scientology. Are you kidding? Get the fuck off my phone.

And so when Paul dropped out, I was working on something else. I finally decided, well, I'm going to ask anyway. So I found the number for his business manager. And I said, hello, this is Lawrence Wright with The New Yorker. And I would like to talk to your client about his decision to leave the Church of Scientology. Are you kidding? Get the fuck off my phone.

And so when Paul dropped out, I was working on something else. I finally decided, well, I'm going to ask anyway. So I found the number for his business manager. And I said, hello, this is Lawrence Wright with The New Yorker. And I would like to talk to your client about his decision to leave the Church of Scientology. Are you kidding? Get the fuck off my phone.

And click, you know, that was the entire conversation. But the next day I got Paul's email address and I wrote him a letter and said, well, I spoke to your business manager and he said, this wasn't the best time. But if there's ever a time where you'd like to discuss your, as I said, intellectual and spiritual development, I'd be honored to do that.

And click, you know, that was the entire conversation. But the next day I got Paul's email address and I wrote him a letter and said, well, I spoke to your business manager and he said, this wasn't the best time. But if there's ever a time where you'd like to discuss your, as I said, intellectual and spiritual development, I'd be honored to do that.